Monday, January 11, 2010

How Do You Know When Your Book is Finished?

So here is what I know:

the book I am writing will be a part of a series. I don't know how long of a series, but it definitely won't be complete in one shot.

A nice break just happened where it could feel complete--like this section of the story feels complete, but with a lot of holes in the larger story. So, should I stop here and begin revision or go a bit further to really leave it on a cliff hanger?

Creative Penn talks about when to stop editing and revising, but I am not there yet. L P King tells you not to be a dork and turn it in to the publisher too soon.

No one seems to be talking about when to end a book though....well, Blake Stacey says
When something more is going to take place, but the characters have been so fully drawn, and the preceding events so carefully shaped that the reader, on reflection, knows what more will happen, and is satisfied by it — then the book ends.
And to this, I say--huh?

I could give you the "You just know" or "It feels right" but then I wouldn't have been wondering on Sunday if this was the right place to end this book. I would have finished writing the last word, smiled, sipped a bit of cold coffee, and maybe bought myself a gluten-free cookie in celebration. Instead, I questioned whether this was the right place to end.

Part of me says that if I am questioning it, then I should continue writing a bit longer and see what happens. Part of me is excited to begin the revision process in earnest. Part of me is just happy I have something else to write.

So I don't know the answer to this question. I do know that I have decided what I will do to resolve it: begin reading it. I figure that if I can reread the whole book and I feel it is complete, leaves me excited to read the next one, and wanting to know the character better, then it is the right place to stop. If it leaves too much hanging out--I continue writing.

What would you do?

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